Badger damage 'more severe' than first thought

Local resident Des Barnett believes the badgers' underground network near Seaholme Road may be "extensive"

Damage caused by tunnelling badgers to a main road in Mablethorpe is "more severe than first thought", Lincolnshire County Council has said.

The authority originally said the badgers' presence on the A52 Seaholme Road would add £100,000 to the repair bill, but the figure is expected to increase again.

Badgers are a protected species and the council has been granted a licence from Natural England to dig the road up and disturb the setts.

The work needs to be completed before the end of November to reduce disturbance to the badgers' breeding season.

Work is continuing to repair badger-damaged A52 Seaholme Road in Mablethorpe

The problem was first noticed when cracks and holes began to appear on the A52, close to Mablethorpe town centre.

There is an extensive badger set in the grounds of a nearby house but the badgers are thought to have expanded their network of tunnels in recent years.

It's believed the sandy soil beneath the coastal town is relatively easy for the badgers to tunnel through.

There is evidence of badger tunnelling on land at St Joseph's Church, not far from the setts.

Deacon Roger Crow, of St Joseph’s Catholic Church, which is close to the setts, said walls near the church had been damaged.

“We’ve seen badger paw prints on the gas supply," he added. "We don’t know whether the main building has been damaged, but we are getting quotes for a ground-penetrating radar survey to investigate.

"The front section of St Joseph’s has shown signs of subsidence and cracking in recent years and we have our suspicions.”

Resident Des Barnett said he believed the underground network of tunnels was "extensive".

"I've been told that there are actually 18 setts in a nearby garden and there might be a need for further excavation to encourage the badgers back," he added.

Lincolnshire County Council said it is working "flat out" to repair the road and minimise disruption

Lincolnshire County Council said specialists had secured the first set of tunnels when a second set was found. The latest tunnels run under the second half of the road.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: "The frustration with getting these badger works sorted is growing.

"We are working as hard as we can to restore this road so that the people of Mablethorpe can get on with their daily lives in the way they expect.

"Whilst the badgers are being very well accommodated, Mablethorpe road users are having to bear the brunt of some serious disruption in their area. It feels very unfair."

Sue Wilson said there needed to be more "tolerance" towards the badgers.

Sue Wilson lives nearby and told the BBC she was encouraged that the council was working with wildlife experts to carry out the work.

"The badgers were here first and they are now surrounded by a semi-urban environment, not a rural environment where they can dig their setts and tunnels with impunity," she said.

Lincolnshire County Council said it hoped to have the road open by 20 November, but "unforeseen factors" could push the date further towards the end of the month.

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